Urban projects

Primary Healthcare Centre in garbage dumping ground - Deonar, Mumbai

GSK India runs a medical centre in Deonar Dumping Ground, the biggest dumping ground in Mumbai. This center provides Primary healthcare facilities and quality health education to the children who are rag pickers and their families who work in and around the dumping ground. This project is implemented in collaboration with Niramaya Health Foundation. It was found that in addition to the basically unhygienic environment, children in the age group of 5 to 14 are exposed to waste substances like used needles, syringes, medical equipments, un-segregated garbage, etc. Due to these conditions there were frequent injuries and long term infections like respiratory problems and skin diseases. The problems and health issues in this area were largely neglected; hence the Company stepped in and decided to support this cause.

With the help of Niramaya Health Foundation, GSK runs a comprehensive health care programme for the community to improve the quality of their life. This is achieved through providing better primary healthcare services, supplementary nutrition to curtail anemia/ nutritional deficiencies. A cadre of peer educators has been created to conduct health sessions and awareness programmes. With GSK's support for 3 years now, there is an overall improvement in their health status in the given unhygienic environment. With the total beneficiaries being around 15000 the services have been of great help to these otherwise neglected communities in Mumbai. Additionally, regular camps for immunization, eye camps, HB estimation camps are conducted.

Rehabilitation of Paraplegic patients: Mumbai

GSK has rendered it support to Paraplegic foundation's project that works towards the rehabilitation and self sustenance of paraplegic patients. This project provides a "Half Way Home" for paraplegic patients discharged from hospitals but requires need based centre for total rehabilitation through physical treatment, medicines and protein rich meals. Stay arrangements are done for both patient and their relative.

The project facilitates the patient's acceptance by his family and aims at boosting his morale to face life with self-confidence. A holistic approach in treatment and rehabilitation through spiritual, cultural and sports activities are used to build patients self-confidence, physical and mental development. They are given professional medical help and treatment which include physiotherapy, acupressure, acupuncture, andrological treatment, occupational therapy.

Training in vocational skills are also provided under this project for patients after total health rehabilitation is done. They are trained to prepare products like sanitary napkins, liquid soaps, etc. These products are sold at 22 stalls managed by the physically challenged people at Municipal maternity homes and hospitals. The products are carried on tricycle by rehabilitated beneficiaries. Different gift articles for festival and special occasions are also made under this programme.

Rehabilitation of cancer patients: Mumbai

In 2011, GSK India extended its support to Indian Cancer Society's rehabilitation of cancer patient's project. The project aims at building a sense of dignity of the patients suffering with cancer. The rehabilitation programme takes into account the needs of a patient from the beginning of treatment until he returns home. It offers a source of livelihood along with occupational therapy and counselling to the cancer patients encouraging them to believe that life after cancer is normal as it can be.

Training is provided to cancer patients undergoing treatment as well to cancer survivors in various vocational skills so as to help them lead a dignified, independent and useful life without being a burden to their family or society. Medical aid and assistance and nutritional supplements are also provided for regaining good health

Palliative care for critically ill cancer patients: Bangalore

In India, cancer hospitals are overcrowded and preference is given to those patients whose disease has a scope for control and cure, either through surgery, chemotherapy or radiation or a combination of the three. Several terminally ill cancer patients, on account of poverty, ignorance and total lack of basic facilities, do not receive the required medical and nursing care. The very nature of the disease causes severe pre-terminal and terminal pain and unless the required dosages of medicines are administered continuously in the right quantities and at appropriate intervals, the quality of the remaining life of the patient is very low.

More than 80% of patients come for treatment when the disease has spread to regional nodes or beyond. Lack of awareness, inadequate access to proper diagnostic facilities, sub-optimal economic conditions and fear lead to a large number of patients presenting themselves at an advanced stage of the disease. In fact, in some ways, this stage in the life of the patient is the most critical because he is no longer under active medical (curative) care and has been discharged from a hospital and sent home where no facilities are available to the patient.

It is against this background GSK backed, Bangalore Hospice Trust project to provide palliative care for critically ill cancer patients to make a positive difference in their lives in their last days.

Mid-day Meal project: Mumbai

GSK India has been supporting the Mid-day meal program implemented by ISKCON Food Relief Foundation for Municipal school students since 2005. The mid-day meal program is an initiative run by the Government of India with the dual objective of not only enhancing levels of attendance in these schools, but also providing them with nutritious meals. This is an on-going project which currently supports 70 schools and over 1000 students in Mumbai municipal schools. This project has visibly shown good results in terms of increase in attendance and improvement in health standards.

Mentally challenged children: Delhi

GSK India supports Aashirwad School for mentally challenged children at Delhi.